6 Ways to Live a Positive Life

February 23, 2017 |

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” We all aspire to live a positive life, with a great attitude and the confidence to overcome any obstacles – but is often easier said than done. Here are 6 great ways to bring more positivity into your life, and make changes for the better:

1. Choose Your Environment Wisely. Your outlook is greatly influenced by your surroundings – the people you associate with and the information you process on a daily basis. The type of things you watch on TV, the articles you read, the social media accounts you follow – these all impact you on a deeper level. Other people also have the ability to alter our mood. We may not even realize it, but we can feel drained after being around certain people, while feeling uplifted around others. Take care to ensure that the influences in your life are supportive and uplifting. Negative people have a way to bring others down with them.

2. Find the Optimism in a Negative Situation. Negativity can easily creep up on us, when we least expect it. When negative feelings start to form, reflect on them and find their source. Are they coming from a place of fear? Or regret? If you are in what seems like a negative situation, ask yourself questions like: What is positive/good about this situation? What is an opportunity within this situation? Problematic situations may arise but we are in control of how we handle them and what we take away from them.

3. Slow Down. Stress can build when we go about our days too quickly. When we eat, drive, work and talk in a hurry – we do not take the time to process situations and our responses in turn can be negative. Slow down, reflect, take a walk – calm your body and mind and mentally prepare yourself for your day.

4. Stay Grounded. When we feel overwhelmed, it is easy to lose perspective. A tiny bump on the road can feel like a full-out road block. Do not lose sight of what you are setting out to accomplish. If you feel like you are losing perspective, try to handle the situation with these three steps:

a. As soon as you sense a negative thought coming into your head, shout “STOP” in your mind.

b. After you have stopped your thoughts in their tracks, be still and take deep breaths, focusing on your breathing as you calm yourself down.

c. Reflect on why you lost perspective in the first place, talk to someone close to you and get a grounded view of the situation. Consider whether this ‘problem’ will matter to you in 4 years, or even 4 weeks? Once you gain some perspective, it will get easier for you to get back into a positive mind frame.

5. Recognize the Fears that Hold You Back. Times when we consider taking a chance in life, such as starting our own business, going on the trip of a lifetime or even asking someone out for a date can be a hotbed for negative thoughts. Usually, the negativity starts creeping in and there are vague fears that stop us from moving further. Think honestly: “What is the worst that could happen?” When you logically think about outcomes – worst-case scenarios are usually a lot less scary than the vague fears our minds come up with. Find the clarity you need to step outside your comfort zone and take a chance. Combat ‘vague’ fears with logic and problem-solving.

6. Be Good to Others. One of the easiest way to bring positivity into your day is to bring positivity to others. What you send out into the world is important. The way you think about and treat others will have a big effect on how you value and treat yourself. Help others: be a listening ear, offer a warm smile, give hugs and encourage people whenever you can. Positivity is contagious!